Background
The London Hilton on Park Lane opened in 1963 – the first Hilton property in the UK. To celebrate its 60th anniversary last year, the hotel embarked on an extensive multi-million pound refurbishment led by GA Design International.
So far this has seen the renovation of suites and executive rooms as well as the lobby and ground floor F&B spaces. The renovation is ongoing, with the rest of the rooms set to be spruced up by next year (though entire floors have been blocked off to buffer the sound, and I didn’t notice any noise or disruption during my stay).
Where is it?
Located in Mayfair, the hotel is within walking distance of key landmarks including Buckingham Palace and Green Park, and rubs shoulders with a host of other five star properties from The Dorchester to The Ritz London.
The closest underground connections are Hyde Park Corner (for the Piccadilly Line) and Green Park (for the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Victoria Lines). It’s also easy to hail an Uber/taxi as the hotel has a private driveway.
What's it like?
The revamped lobby has the kind of hustle and bustle you’d want from a centrally located five-star property in London. The renovation has capitalised on this buzz, creating an open sociable space bathed in warm, gold-toned hues, with comfy seating and a stunning art installation of suspended golden leaves by London designer Giles Miller.
There was a small queue at reception when I arrived at 3pm on a busy Saturday afternoon, but staff were efficient. As a suite-guest, I was ushered to the executive floor via one of four leather-panelled lifts for a private check-in at the club lounge reception. A slight printer malfunction meant check-in lasted longer than usual, but a complimentary glass of fizz and engaging conversation with staff ensured a pleasant experience.
Rooms
In total, the hotel has 453 rooms including 56 suites spread across 28 storeys. These are split into numerous categories ranging from the entry level Queen Guest Room (22-27 sqm) to the lavish Presidential Suite (125 sqm).
I stayed in the newly renovated Oxford Suite on the 26th floor. Suites are named after London locations (Mayfair, Regent, Belgravia) with varying designs and price points. The Oxford, Cambridge, London and Coronation Suites share a similar design language, with creams, neutrals and pops of mustard. Well-chosen decorative pieces add to an upmarket residential vibe – think fresh orchids, attractive ceramic glassware, modern furnishings and funky lighting.
The views from the suite are absolutely stunning, with a birds-eye vista over Hyde Park and the city’s rooftops sprawling out as far as the eye can see.
The suite was enormous with multiple rooms. A marbled entrance corridor welcomed you home immediately, with a mirror and hall stand filled with curated decorations. Immediately on the left was a lovely lounge/dining room, with cream carpets, elegant cream drapes and modern furniture. This included a large six-person dining table, with stylish lamps hanging overhead, filled fruit bowl and a fabulous personalised welcome gift (an edible chocolate “front page” from ‘The Hilton Post’ with my photo).
At the far end of the room was a large wall-mounted TV with a wide selection of channels and a comfortable sofa. It felt very natural to relax here and flick thorough the channels as you would at home – sometimes posh suites can feel a little uninviting.
There’s also a large pantry, with a Nespresso machine, Newby loose leaf tea, sink, and excessive amounts of cupboard space.
The lack of a master switch was a bit frustrating, particularly given the size of the suites and multitude of individual lights and lamps that needed manually turning off. There was also no master keycard controlling electricity, meaning lamps (or other electric devices) could easily be left on/forgotten when you leave the room.
Moving through to the bedroom, you pass through a dressing area/work station. On the one hand, the area felt private and quiet with both doors closed and a functional desk offered a solid place to work with pleasant views through the (locked) French balcony. This was well served with plug sockets, though there was no USB port, and no office supplies such as stationery or a phone.
On the other hand, the practicality of having a work station in the closet could be tricky, particularly if travelling with people who may well be moving back and forth to the bedroom, getting changed etc.
The bedroom itself was large with an enormous super king bed featuring 300 thread count sheets and 100 per cent duck down pillows for a supremely comfortable sleep. This backed onto a large mustard headboard, with side tables featuring USB ports and sockets. I loved the day bed lining the window, the perfect place to perch and soak up the stunning London views.
A flat screen TV in the bedroom – smaller than the living room – is off to an angle (as the doors are directly in front of the bed). Double plugs and USB ports can be found on both sides of the bed, alongside complimentary Voss water. The full length mirror in the bedroom was appreciated.
In-room tablets were available to control a range of functions from in-room dining and customer service to TV controls and access to reading materials (including Business Traveller magazine) podcasts and games.
Next door was an enormous marbled en suite with a bath, dual sinks, Roca smart toilet and bidet (perhaps a bit of an old-fashioned feature these days?), plus an enormous shower/steam room and.
There was a “mood lighting switch” above the bath, but nothing happened when I pressed it. There were also speakers to allow for music, but I didn’t know how to get them working.
Amenities included Molton Brown lotions and potions, dental, shaving and other kits, and fluffy towels and robes.
Food and drink
On the top (28th) floor is the snazzy 10° Sky Bar, with boutique-brand drinks and an inventive cocktail list, as well as the hotel’s signature restaurant Galvin at Windows, with modern British cuisine and 360-degree views of the city.
I headed to the ground floor lobby level to check out the relaunched ground floor spaces. This began with pre-dinner cocktails at new lobby bar Revery, which has been injected with plenty of glamour from the statement curved cocktail bar and backlit wall, to plush red velvet seating, impeccably-dressed staff and a high-end drinks list that covers coffee in the day and cocktails and premium whiskies at night.
The fact the bar is curtained off from the lobby did feel a little awkward and less premium to me, but we nevertheless enjoyed a couple of perfectly mixed espresso martinis and attentive service.
For dinner we headed next door to Park Corner Brasserie. The modern British brasserie offers a cool but casual vibe, with white walls and floors and statement green banquette seating. The space offers all-day dining from 12-10pm, and breakfast from 6.30am-10pm.
We enjoyed a fantastic three-course meal starting with Youngman & Son’s beef tartare on wholemeal bread (£18).For mains, we tried the melt-in-your-mouth slow-cooked duck leg with potato mash, broccoli and shallot sauce (£25) and a lobster mac and cheese with red pepper (£24). In the interests of professionalism, we also split a (delicious) crème brûlée (£11) to complete the experience.
Guests staying in suites are entitled to Executive Lounge access, which comes with happy hour cocktails, all-day snacks and a comprehensive complimentary breakfast with a range of hot foods, pastries, fruits and cereals.
Meetings
There are 16 flexible meeting spaces totalling 2,087 sqm, including one of London’s largest ballrooms capable of hosting up to 1,250.
Leisure
The London Hilton Club offers a 24/7 fitness centre on the lower ground floor with access to personal trainers. There is also a spa with a range of treatments, plus a sauna and steam room.
The adjoined Park Lane Club Mayfair Casino also draws a steady crowd of party-goers late into the night.
Verdict
The property has been given a stylish makeover at it embarks on its 70th decade, with enormous suites available for decadent stays in the heart of the city. I was surprised more tech elements hadn’t been incorporated into the renovations, but enjoyed how inviting and residential it felt. For location, views and service – the London Hilton on Park Lane knocks it out of the (Hyde) Park.
FACT BOX
- Best for Those looking for extreme amounts of space and a luxury home away from home
- Don’t miss Sundowners at 10° Sky Bar on the 28th floor
- Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in the Oxford Suite in June start from £3,278 (entry level £410)
- Contact 22 Park Lane London W1K 1BE United Kingdom; +44 20 7493 8000; hilton.com
